"How much did you manage to make?" Lin Xiaoqiang asked, eyeing Jin Tie sideways.
Jin Tie replied casually, "Around twenty or thirty million. Not much."
"That's enough to get you executed," Lin Xiaoqiang said, tapping Jin Tie's bowl with his chopsticks. "How did you pull it off?" Jin Tie, proud of his expertise, explained, "Opening fake accounts, misappropriating client funds, taking bank loans, and trading futures on the Hong Kong, Tokyo, and New York markets. I instructed the traders to buy high and sell low, but only to insiders. Nowadays, money is virtual; it's electronic currency, making it hard for outsiders to interfere."
"How did you get caught?" Lin Xiaoqiang couldn't help but be impressed by the disheveled but knowledgeable young man in front of him. Jin Tie licked the remaining rice from his bowl and continued, "My covert operations were smooth until a bad trade in the Tokyo brass futures market cost me heavily. Realizing there was no way to recover, I initiated a 'shock therapy.'"
"What's 'shock therapy'?" Lin Xiaoqiang asked, intrigued.
Jin Tie explained, "Since I couldn't recover the losses, I went for a massive sell-off, took the money, and disappeared."
"That's when you got caught," Lin Xiaoqiang said confidently.
Jin Tie asked, "How did you know?"
Lin Xiaoqiang placed his chopsticks on the bowl, "I have experience."
Jin Tie nodded, "One of my partners got arrested in Shenzhen. That bastard, Fu Zhigao, betrayed me the same night, leading to my arrest."
"What about the money? Is it all gone?" Lin Xiaoqiang blinked.
Jin Tie blinked back slyly, "What do you think?"
Lin Xiaoqiang saw the gleam in his eyes and said in a low voice, "For crimes like yours, you should have been executed, yet you got only three years. You should have served time locally, yet you were sent here."
Jin Tie placed the bowl on the ground, wiped his mouth, and said, "I don't mind serving time. Many people can't sleep peacefully, leading to this unusual situation."
Lin Xiaoqiang corrected him, "It's not a conclusion, but a situation. This situation is temporary. At any time, someone might flip, and the case could be reopened. You're sitting on a powder keg, your life in others' hands. To survive, you'll need a new partner." Jin Tie bowed and said, "Understood. That person is you!"
Late at night, the city's lights flickered like ghostly flames in the mist. Guo Xiaopeng drove his Mercedes swiftly down the wide, deserted coastal road, accelerating rapidly. Wang Jingfei, silent since getting in the car, finally couldn't hold back and asked, "Where are you taking me, Chairman?"
Guo Xiaopeng remained silent, his face illuminated by the passing lights, showing an intense, barely suppressed emotion. Sensing an impending crisis, Wang Jingfei said, "Stop the car. Let me out."
"We need to talk. All night," Guo Xiaopeng said with a vague, unreadable smile.
The car slowed as it entered the gates of Guo Xiaopeng's luxurious villa on the Jianqiao Peninsula. Guo Xiaopeng got out, quickly walked around the front, and personally opened the door for Wang Jingfei. After a moment's hesitation, she stepped out and followed him into the opulent, brightly lit mansion. The enormous living room was eerily empty and silent. Guo Xiaopeng gently wrapped his arms around her waist, naturally and harmoniously.
Wang Jingfei trembled, feeling dizzy as the world seemed to spin and tilt before her. Her mind clouded, she instinctively closed her eyes tightly.
Guo Xiaopeng stared at her trembling eyelashes, silently tightening his grip. Suddenly, Wang Jingfei pushed him away, catching him off guard and sending him sprawling onto the jacuzzi. As he recovered and grabbed her, asking in a low voice, "Who are you really?" Wang Jingfei walked briskly through the dark, her dress billowing like a ghost in the night.
His suspicions confirmed, Guo Xiaopeng realized his fears were justified. The unexpected turn of events made her aware of the even more perilous path ahead, filled with thorns and unseen traps.
The Mercedes silently followed from behind. Guo Xiaopeng parked in front of her and got out. She turned her head, tears of humiliation streaming down her face.
As the wide, silent road stretched before them, the two sat in silence. Watching her tear-filled eyes in the rearview mirror, Guo Xiaopeng felt his heart stir with hidden tenderness. He spoke sincerely, "I've never felt this way about a woman before. This is the first time. You captivate me, but I'm also scared. If we can be honest with each other, we could be the closest of friends. Jingfei, I like you."
Wang Jingfei's gaze finally met his in the mirror, but her eyes were deep and unreadable.